SkinActive 4% AHA + BHA & Niacinamide Charcoal Face Serum — Reddit Reviews
by Garnier
Updated September 23, 2026
4% AHA/BHA serum with charcoal; can rough up skin and trigger irritation.
What the community says
A peeling serum for people trying to tackle clogged pores or post-acne marks. Reddit’s read is very YMMV: some use it a few nights weekly, but irritation and barrier damage come up fast, especially after shaving.
What this means for you
What people love
Watch out for
Product details
Skin type data limited
Where to buy
Real Reddit threads — 4 mentions across 2 threads
Garnier SkinActive 4% AHA + BHA & Niacinamide Charcoal Face Serum on Reddit, in one place — 2 threads from r/SkincareAddiction and r/30PlusSkinCare, summarized.
“have recently included the Garnier charcol aha+bha serum every other night”
Cautionary
“it doesn't seem to help much either”
Cautionary
“Peeling (deep-cleansing) Serum: Garnier Charcoal AHA+BHA Serum (Do not use on the days you shave. 2–3 times per week is enough.)”
Positive
“just be careful with the aha bha serum after shaving and watch for irritation.”
Positive
“also might want to add a retinol eventually for the under-eye stuff, but give this routine a few weeks first to see how your skin reacts.”
Positive